The Scents of Spring, This Time on a Fork

Snowdrops are blooming and daffodils are on their way. To get a jump on spring on the plate, there are new, fragrant rices mingled with dried flowers.

Péchés de Provence, a company in St.-Gilles, France, combines long-grain white rice with lavender or rose petals, either one lovely with snowy steamed halibut.

Earthier brown rice with poppies or violets, or red rice with jasmine or orange blossoms, would suit salmon, poultry or game.

Any of them will produce a creamy rice pudding with panache.

The cooking instructions are in French, but the method is the same as with other rices: heat the rice with a little oil in a saucepan, add twice the volume of cold water as you have rice, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer until the water is absorbed.

The rices are $6.99 to $8.99 for 17.64 ounces at Fairway.

A version of this article appears in print on , on page D2 of the National edition with the headline: The Scents of Spring, This Time on a Fork. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe